Media Releases

Media Releases

Media Releases

Melbourne secures world's most innovative conference

May 26, 2017

World First for MelbourneMelbourne's Event Calendar Just got Bigger

Melbourne continues to set the pace in business events, securing the world's most innovative business conference in what will be a world first, and will diversify the city's already thriving event portfolio.

For the first time, and after six successful editions of C2 Montreal, the iconic event is going global and will be held in Melbourne, Australia, the only city to ever host the business conference outside of Montreal.

Taking place on 30 November and 1 December, 2017, C2 Melbourne will provide two days of immersive experiences, bringing together commerce and creativity to explore trends, opportunities, disruptions and shifts on the horizon. The event seeks to help innovators find creative solutions to commercial and social challenges, in a surprising and imaginative environment, not reminiscent of a traditional conference.

Boasting a strong track record of success, each year C2 Montreal attracts over 6,000 executives from 50 countries and 24 industries, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. One in four make a deal at C2.

Through a partnership with the Victorian State Government and MCI, Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) steered the proposal to secure the inaugural event for Melbourne, boosting the city's cultural and commerce events program.

Melbourne Convention Bureau Chief Executive Officer, Karen Bolinger, said with Melbourne being an innovator in the events sector, it made perfect sense to target such a pioneering business event to the city.

"Melbourne continues to be Australia's pacesetter in the events space, and Melbourne Convention Bureau has a mandate to continue to be a world leader by creating or bringing the best business events to our city.

"With C2 Montreal named the number one innovative business conference for two consecutive years, we knew this was an event of our city's calibre.

"Melbourne is a city that cultivates and throws its support towards creativity in innovation. This is what enabled us to be so determined in our pursuit of securing this event.

"As an event grounded in innovation, creativity and collaboration, Melbourne is the ideal city to embrace a progressive approach to conferencing. The ‘Future of Business Meetings Industry Report' commissioned by Melbourne Convention Bureau this year identified that engaging conference content is less information focussed and more interaction focussed, where attendees will get to know each other.

"With a program that incorporates immersive experiences such such as brain dates, labs, workshops while suspended from structures, brainstorms while walking through indoor snowstorms and a festival village, C2 has hit the nail on the head in delivering an environment that meets the demands of today's delegates," Ms Bolinger said.

President of C2, Richard St-Pierre said Melbourne is the ideal testing ground to anchor the C2 brand in. "As the team at C2 was imagining where we may go for the first ever large scale C2 outside of Canada, we sought cities with a rich culture, an intoxicating energy and a readiness to work together to set the stage that will reset imagination and unleash new ideas for business leaders, innovators and creatives from around the world," Mr St-Pierre said.

With the Victorian Government putting innovation at the centre of its agenda, Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis said the state was excited to have secured the C2 event.

"Melbourne is the ideas capital of Australia and the perfect host city for an event that is all about how creativity and new ideas can drive new business opportunities.

"The Victorian Government is investing heavily in innovation because we know it is the key to the business ideas that will drive our economy in the future.

"Victoria is proud to be hosting C2 which will be a great forum for new ideas and for showcasing our culture of innovation and vibrant start up ecosystem to the world," Minister Dalidakis concluded.

Also supporting the event is the City of Melbourne, with Lord Mayor Robert Doyle commenting, "C2 is a great fit for Melbourne: commerce and creativity put together in a unique way that blends and transcends both."

Uschi Schreiber, Chair, Global Accounts Committee and Global Vice Chair, Markets EY, has been announced as the first keynote speaker for C2 Melbourne, with more speakers to be announced in the lead up to the event.

The location for the C2 Melbourne will be announced in Melbourne in July.

About Melbourne Convention Bureau The Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) is a is a sales and economic business development organisation that partners with state and local government and strategic industry partners to identify, secure or create large international conferences, corporate meetings and incentive programs for Victoria. This is all new business that helps drive Victoria's visitor and knowledge economy. Business events deliver an economic contribution of $9.8 billion and 65,000 jobs annually.

MCB is the state's sole entity responsible for the procurement of international business events. MCB positions Melbourne nationally and internationally as a business events destination that goes above and beyond for clients and partners, creating lasting social and community impacts through legacies that deliver well beyond the event itself.

MCB is globally connected with international representation in North America, Europe and Asia.

About C2 C2 is a global convener on a mission to transform executives and organizations that are ripe for change - whether they know it or not. In a collaborative context specifically designed to provoke collisions and spark new ideas, C2 gets leaders to challenge their biases, shift their perspectives and explore completely new ways of doing business.

C2's reinvention of the international conference experience started with the annual C2 Montréal event, which has been described as "challenging conventions" by The Economist and "a business conference unlike any other"

by the Harvard Business Review. After Zurich, Milan, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Rome, San Francisco and Melbourne, C2 is now expanding its reach across all continents. See c2.biz for more information.